No charges expected in Birmingham carjacking and standoff

Birmingham SWAT Team Deployed To Collegeville Community During Hostage OrdealBIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Birmingham Police Department SWAT team was deployed to the Collegeville housing community during a hostage ordeal Friday morning January 6, 2011. A 27 year old man walked out of an apartment without incident after negotiators and his mother urged him to end the ordeal. (The Birmingham News/Carol Robinson)

Birmingham police spokesman Sgt. Johnny Williams Jr. said the man carjacked in east Birmingham about 6 a.m. does not want the suspect prosecuted. Also, the two adults initially in the Collegeville Public Housing Community apartment with the man -- where two toddlers also were sleeping-- are not being deemed as victims.

"It won't be a hostage situation," Williams said. "He knew those people and so it's just a matter of he refused to come out and deal with the police."

Williams said it's an unfortunate situation.

"It jeopardizes the entire community when a victim refuses to press charges on something like this," Williams said. "You are putting other lives in jeopardy when you refuse to cooperate."

Dozens of officers were tied up for about three hours on the situation. Those officers could have been doing other things, Williams said.

"But, we have to do it. It's part of the job."

Earlier today, Williams provided this account of what happened: Two men, including the suspect, got into a car about 6 a.m. Friday with another man in eastern Birmingham to hitch a ride to the Collegeville community to visit the other passenger's girlfriend.

Once inside the car, the suspect pulled a weapon and ordered from the car the driver who had offered him a ride. The suspect's friend, police said, likely didn't know a carjacking was about to take place. After the driver was put out, the two men drove to Collegeville.

"Their goal was to get to this location," Williams said. "He was willing to give them a ride anyway."

Police officers tracked the suspect there and ordered him to come out of the apartment, but he repeatedly refused. At some point, officers were able to get the two adults out of the apartment, but the children were upstairs asleep.

The police department's SWAT team was called to the scene, arriving about 7 a.m. A hostage negotiator tried to initiate dialogue with him, but he remained silent.

After more than an hour of negotiations, the suspect walked out of the apartment. His family members rushed the police tape screaming and pleading with police not to shoot him.

Police removed the two toddlers around 8:20 a.m.

Dozens of people nearby by applauded when the children were brought out, wrapped in blankets but safe.

Julius Nelson identified the suspect as her 27-year-old son, Timothy Nelson. She said at the scene that she didn't believe he had done anything wrong, and was glad the situation ended peaceably.

"I was concerned about him and the kids," said Julius Nelson. "I felt relieved and safe he didn't get hurt."

Williams said Nelson was taken to jail on an unrelated outstanding warrant.